Research interests

Spatio-temporal evolution of volcanic fields to improve hazard assessments

This topic has been my principal research interest since my Master thesis in 2005, which I pursued for my PhD, post-doc, and recent projects. Such investigations aim at better understanding long-term trends and hazards in volcanic systems, and uses data from geochronology, geomorphology, geochemistry, and petrography, along with computer science.

K-Ar and Ar/Ar dating of igneous rocks

Ages availability directly influences how rates of geologic processes are calculated, which allows improving our knowledge of the Earth’s history and evolution over time; and as such, geochronology can foster synergetic activities between geoscience disciplines. I have used K-Ar and Ar/Ar age determinations to a variety of research activities, including evaluating the eruptive history of active volcanoes, improving the geomagnetic polarity timescale, and estimate duration and rates of surface and deep geological processes.

Geochemical evolution of magmas

Resolving the magma petrogenesis at a particular volcanic field require various geochemical tools. Major and trace elements composition of whole rocks and individual minerals informs on source composition and subsequent differentiation processes, while experimental petrology informs on the physical conditions (depth, pressure and temperature) of melting or crystallization in magma reservoirs. My research projects use geochemical analyses on whole-rock and individual minerals as well as thermobarometry to provide detailed constraints on magma sources and storage conditions beneath active volcanic fields

Geomorphological evolution of volcanic edifices

Characterizing timescales of magma mixing and relative effect on eruptions

Fields studied

Lesser Antilles & particularly Martinique

Payun Matru volcanic field, Argentina

Monogenetic fields of Baja California

San Rafael subvolcanic field, Utah

San Francisco volcanic field, Arizona

Lassen region, California

Medicine Lake volcano, California

Springerville VF Arizona